Self aligning bearing pjt



July 1 1, 1 28. 1,677,514

. H. E. DERR. 5R- I snw ALIGNING BEARING MIIQSHAFTS Original Filed Sept. 2%; 1923 Patented July 17, 1928 I i UNITED STATES VESTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

SELF-ALIGNING BEARING For;v sm'rs.

Original application filed eptember 28, 1923, Serial No. 665,270. was and January 12, 1925 This invention relatesgenerally to bear ings 0f the self-aligning type and particularly to a bearing particularly useful in connection with the improved steering mechanism for motor propelled vehicles disclosed and-claimed-in applicant s co-pending application -Serial No. 665,270, filed September28, 1 923 of which this applicatlon is a d1v1s1on.

A general object of this invention is to provide .a simple and eflicient bearing for shafts, where flexibility and self-alignment of the shaft are essential to its efficient performance. V I

Another object is to provide an improved bearing member for shaftssuch as the steering shaft disclosed in applicants parent application, above identified, such bearing forming an intermediate support for absorbing road shocks and also acting automatically to keep the shaft in alignment. I a

The construction and operation of this 1mproved bearing will be made clear by refer ence to the preferred. embodiment thereof disclosed in the accompanying specification and the sheet of drawings, wherein like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views and wl1ere1n,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewshowlng a fragment of the improved steering gear disclosed in the parent application and a sectional view of the improved bearing 1n association with the shaft thereof;

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the bearing and its support maintaining the shaft in its vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a shaft and bearing taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4- is a detail bottom, plan view of the cap of the stud of the bearing assembly and showing an adjustment feature.

As already stated this bearing is particularly useful when used in connection w th the steering shaft of the improved steering mechanism disclosed in the above identified.

Serial No. 1,706.

angularly-disposed with respect to the steermg control shaft 10. gTheQframe member 13 g 1,677,514 T PATENT OFFICE-.1.

nanny E. DEER, sit, or NEW YORK, N.'Y.,Ass1oNo1 'TO "INTERNATIONAL BAB- this application filed 1 of the motor vehicle is provided with a de- I described. The shaft 12 is slidably supported in this. improved bearing carried by pending ,bracket lt'whichcarries andsupports the improved bearing to be presently the bracket 14', as juststa'ted. The function of this hearing is properly to align the shaft .12with respect to a bearing 15 at the upper end of the shaft and also to provide a point intermediately of the ends of the shaft for absorbing road shocks and giving thatnecessary flexibility to the shaft necessitated by the vibration of the vehicle when in ope-ration.

The bracket 14, as stated, is suitably fixed to the vehicleframe 1 3 and comprises ,a twopart support '16 and These supporting members are each semicircular in form and are securely bolted together by bolts 18 thereby providinga cup-shaped recess for the" reception of an annular cup-like socket, member 19, the bolts 18 extending along oppositesides of the shaft 12 and tangential y and loosely engaging an annular groove 20 formed on the outer wall of the socket member 19. The shaft 12, it will be obseri ed, slidably carries a concentric ball 21, which in turn is mounted for universal movement in the socket member 19. For the purpose of preventing displacement of the ball, a suitable stud member 22 surrounds the shaft 12 and is threaded into the socket, thereby hoding the ball in place and closing the socket. It will be observed, as shown in Fig. 4, that thisstud is split and that the cap thereof, as shown in Fig. 4 is provided wit-h bosses 23 which receive an adjusting screw 24 whereby the stud may be expanded to form an expanding bind and more securely maintain the threaded engagement of the stud with the socket.

It has already been stated that the ball is concentrically arranged on the shaft 12. It should be further noted that the socket member 19 is eccentrically arranged around this ball member. Thus, in assembling the bearing with the shaft, there is a tendency ture just described serves merely as an aid to proper alignment of the shaft, as explained, and, when once assembled, the parts are securely locked in place by bolts 18 for preventing rotative movement of the bearing with respect to the shaft. By means of an oil groove 25 and a grease cup 26 communicating therewith, a lubricant may be forced into the socket for lubricating the ball. and shaft. Packing rings 26 and 27 are provided for the purpose of sealing the lubricant in the socket and-keeping out dust particles, because, as will be noted, the socket and stud members do not closely fit the shaft, which of necessity must be so to permit the required flexibility. At the lower end of the shaft is fastened the conventional pitman 28 and steering link 29 for transmitting the steering movements of the steering shaft.

As already explained, the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and this invention is not necessarily limited to a bearing for use only with steering shafts, for obviously this bearing would be useful in connection with many other kinds of shafts.

It is to be understoodthat various changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a steering shaft and a bearing therefor carried intermediate its ends and supported in a bracket mounted on the vehicle frame, said bearing comprising a concentric ball through which said fitted into said socket member for preventing dislodgmcnt of said ball, an annular groove in said socket member, and boltscarried by said bracket and engagingsaid groove for supporting'said socket member.

The combination with a frame, Ora" shaft and bearing" t-heref'or', said bearing comprising a socket, a concentric ball mounted for universal movement in the socket and slidably receiving the shaft, a stud for 010s ing the socket and holding the ball in place,

said socket being eccentrically disposed around the ball, and means carried by the frame loosely engaging the socket for sup-. porting and preventing axial movement of p the bearing with respect to said shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY E. DERR, snj 

